FTA announces link-up to prevent and protect against truck theft

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is to join forces with online truckers’ community TruckersWorld to prevent and protect against truck theft. From October 2009, FTA will be supporting TruckersWorld’s Truck Theft Text Alert (TTTA) as part of the logistics sector’s bid to bring down truck theft and bring those guilty of it to justice.

The TTTA scheme passes the details of trucks or trailers which have been stolen to HGV drivers by text and encourages them to be on the look-out. If spotted, drivers can then alert the police who can execute a recovery of the load – and take the criminals into custody.

FTA’s Jo Tanner said:

“FTA is delighted to support this scheme, which already has widespread support among the driving fraternity. One of the more sinister outcomes of the economic downturn has been the rise in thefts from trucks, from the siphoning of diesel to the hijacking of complete units, increasingly with menace or violence to drivers. TruckersWorld’s Truck Theft Text Alert will hopefully not only help in the recovery of losses but also put thieves off altogether.”

Barrie Tozer, TruckersWorld’s founder, said:

“TruckersWorld members are at the sharp end of truck theft, which is why FTA’s support for the TTTA is great news. Their support will allow us to make the scheme available to even more drivers and help the police and vehicle operators recover stolen trucks and trailers. We hope that other organisations, such as those in the insurance sector, will follow FTA’s lead and recognise the value of the TTTA too. Then perhaps we can bring truck theft right down.”

There has been concern within the sector that theft of or from trucks and trailers has not been given the priority it deserves from the police. As a result, operators have either sought out their lost vehicles and loads themselves or simply written them off. FTA and TruckersWorld are strongly encouraging their members to report any losses to the police.

Jo Tanner concluded:

“What we currently have is a classic vicious circle, where operators have little faith in the police and therefore fail to report losses, while the police do not see the true picture of the problem and therefore do not provide the resources. We need operators to draw a line under this now and report any and all losses to the police. Only then will these thefts get the police profile and priority they need.”

AVCIS, the Association of Chief Police Officers’ Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service, a unit dedicated to vehicle-enabled crime which includes TruckPol, has also endorsed the TTTA.